dgigp@ksp.gov.in

**The Secretary,

Press Council of India,

Soochna Bhavan, 8-C.G.O. Complex,

Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003

secy-pci@nic.in

**IGP, Southern Range, Mysore

igpsr@ksp.gov.in

**Election commission of India

 Mr. V.S.Sampath

Chief Election Commissioner

vs.sampath@eci.gov.in

**Mr. H.S.Brahma

Election Commissioner

hs.brahma@eci.gov.in

**Dr. Nasim Zaidi

Election Commissioner

nasimzaidi@eci.gov.in

**Karnataka Chief electoral officer

Anil Kumar Jha

Chief Election Commissioner

Karnataka

ceo_karnataka@eci.gov.in

NHRC

 Secretary General

Chief Executive Officer of NHRC

sgnhrc@nic.in

Smt. Kanwaljit Deol, IPS

Director General (Investigation)

dg-nhrc@nic.in

**KARNATAKA STATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

1st – 4th FLOORS, 5th PHASE, MULTISTOREYED BUILDING, BANGALORE-560 001

Phone: 080-22392200 Fax:080-22392200

E-Mail:  kshrc2007@gmail.com

9425013509

**POLL OBSERVER (Hassan)

Mr. Raghuveer CSMP IAS 1992 MP MP MP

Shrivastava

sraghu@ias.nic.in

**Police Observer (Hassan)

Dr. Ravi M.

muravi91ips@gmail.com

9841022921

** KUWJ Bangalore .

gangadharamudaliar@rediffmail.com

Dear Sir ,

Definitely a law abiding citizen will welcome all the strict measures initiated by the administration, particularly the Election Commission during the elections. But this does not provide with a freedom to the officials to behave rudely and act like goons with the  people.

On April 10, 2014 I was on an election coverage  tour in Hassan district and was travelling on Hassan-Belur highway to notice a group of people belonging to a particular political party and journalistic sense  and curiosity tempted me to take note of the situation and  know  what is transpiring at the spot . I got down from the car and was silently watching the argument of the political party workers and the elections officials led by one probationary IAS officer Ramachandran .

Suddenly without any provocation  officer pointing his fingers at me  shouted and said “Nadiyo Aache( singular term in Kannada asking one to  go away). I reacted to his  shouting and suggested the IAS officer to not behave in such a manner with the citizens. IAS officer  suddenly  asked the police officer ( A sub-inspector ) standing by his side to shove me away. PSI taking orders from the IAS officer started pushing me away and when I objected he manhandled me. Pointing at his dress the PSI shouted “ do you know this worthiness of his  dress” and held me by my shirt and bundled me  into a jeep .

At this juncture I revealed that I am a journalist and I was just watching the happenings at the spot . But the PSI never bothered or evinced any interest to check my identity and journalistic credentials . Though I tried to take out my Identity card and accreditation  card to show it to the officer, he had no patience to wait and badly man handled me.  Even a passer by  pointing at my white beard  suggested the police  officer to respect my age .  Nothing worked .

Another official on poll duty  intervened and  directed the PSI to release me as for  him my age mattered.  Even when PSI asked me to get down from the jeep, he dragged me   to free me on the road. Even my car driver who sensing the danger tried to intervene. But the officials shoved him away.  PSI, when I refused to board the jeep and  volunteered to come to the police station , he hit me twice on my chest with the elbow . Officer was shrewd  enough to show that he was not hitting and make one to believe that  he was only pushing with his elbow .

To be frank  any  frail man of my age( 56 years) would have  collapsed and  got admitted to hospital . As I am hale and healthy and physically fit  I   withstood his physical assault. As a responsible journalist working with a reputed newspaper despite being hit by the police officer I  avoided visiting hospital as there was nothing for me to pretend . To be honest today I  am receiving muscular  spasms  in my chest and back region mostly because of the officer’s hits.

For a moment I was forced to believe and ask myself  “Whether we are living in a police state and is it a democracy we have inherited after 65 years of freedom . As a journalist I am of the firm opinion that  this incident would have not happened to anybody whether he or she is a journalist or a law abiding  citizen. Police officer treated me like a criminal ( In a welfare state even criminal  also be dealt as per the law and not like this ) and he his behavior reminded me of scenes from Hindi movies where police official express their heroic mannerism  through illegal means and ways.

Sir I immediately briefed about this incident to Hassan DC who prompt enough to regret the incident, Hassan SP , Southern range IGP and an official working with the election observer . Later I reached the Belur police inspector’s office and lodged a written complaint . After filing the complaint I spoke to the ADGP(L&O ) M N Reddy  besides informing my office on the issue.

My sincere request to you all is such incidents should not recur in future. I  am neither seeking action against the officials for having   hang ups  of being a journalist of a reputed newspaper nor that stakes of  my status in the society  are in jeopardy . But the officers should be disciplined which will not only send a strong message to the  other officials of such mind set , it will also save  the innocent citizens from such harassments and humiliations. A strong action against these officials will send a right message across the society  and reinforce  peoples faith in democratic values and principles.   

I hope  the incident will be inquired and action will be initiated against the guilty .

With regards

Your sincerely

M B Maramkal

Chief Of Bureau

The Times Of India

Prince of Wales Road Near RTO office

Mysore -570 005